


Let Sleeping Lions Lie

by DimensionSlip



Series: Guardian Moon Comes in like a Lion [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Azure Moon Route, Canon Divergence, Character Study, Feral Dimitri, Gen, M/M, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-13 16:30:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21000722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DimensionSlip/pseuds/DimensionSlip
Summary: "You remember that promise we made, don't you? Do you recall when we made it?""...Yeah. What about it?""He was with that girl so often that he practically ignored the rest of us. I'm not so sure that's... healthy."Which is putting it lightly. Dimitri was obsessed with Dagger Girl—and yet, he never so much as shared her name with his longtime friends. He kept her all to himself, like some sort of secret treasure. Sylvain shakes his head."Don't be Dagger Girl. Try not to let him hide away with you too much, okay? Drag him out to see the sun and talk to other people, sometimes."Rodrigue tries to be a father to Dimitri. In the meantime, Sylvain worries about Felix.





	Let Sleeping Lions Lie

As much as Felix wishes it otherwise, the next day pretty much goes down as expected...

...Meaning the whole monastery knows of what transpired in the bathhouse.

Or at least, that's how it seems to Felix. Curious looks follow him as he goes about his day, some knowing, some embarrassed. Yet none of them are daring enough to actually breathe a word of the incident to him, preferring whispers under their breath and the occasional titter as Felix passes by. Heck, even Ashe couldn't look him in the eye when Felix came over to grab breakfast! The curse of limited ongoings in the monastery, though Felix supposes the topic of relations with their king-to-be is going to be a hot subject even if there were other gossip-worthy things around the place.

Alas, life must still go on, and with their arrangements of taking back the Kingdom coming to fruition, it is important that they hold regular war meetings. Tempted as he is to skip out on this one, Felix shows up, determined to ignore any unrelated looks that are thrown in his direction. Save for a rather intense one that his father gives him during the start of the meeting—which he returns defiantly—it proceeds without incident in that regard, with everyone focusing on the topic at hand rather than where Dimitri's hands were last.

Still, it's with his father's look in mind that Felix is one of the first people out of the war room, not at all in the mood to discuss anything with him. It's with this situation that something unfolds out of Felix's line of sight, an event he may or may not hear about later.

Rodrigue, having lingered behind, steps towards and calls out to Dimitri, who is one of the last people remaining in the room.

"Your Highness, if I may have a word."

"...Of course," Dimitri says.

"Thank you."

Rodrigue gives him a short bow, customary whenever he addresses Dimitri. It's with some amusement that he notes Dimitri's sheepish expression, the incident from a few weeks back clearly lingering in his mind.

"Please relax, I don't hold any ill will towards you."

All things considered, these recent turn of events seem to explain it, if they hold any water. And judging by Felix's restlessness throughout the day, there seems to be some truth to the rumors…

Dimitri lets out a small sigh, shaking his head. "I should have kept my temper a little better."

"And I with my words." Rodrigue says, pensive as he beholds Dimitri, cupping a hand to his chin. "The rumors I've been hearing certainly explain what happened, if they're true."

"I think he would rather I not discuss that."

"I'm not here to stop you," Rodrigue says, more or less satisfied with that roundabout confirmation. "I merely wish to offer you some words of advice."

For a fraction of a second, Dimitri stiffens, but after a moment's consideration, nods for Rodrigue to continue.

"Life is fleeting."

Rodrigue exhales, chest heavy with memories of days long gone, resurfacing along with advice he had to live through.

"I only wish for both of you to be happy, however…"

He pauses, searching for the right words to explain his side. He's not too keen on a repeat of the last time, to say the least of it, and telling Dimitri what he already knows regarding what comes after the war is simply rubbing salt into a wound that he dares not pry open. Reminding him right now about the need to take a wife is premature, and perhaps unnecessary, given that Dimitri is likely aware of that responsibility.

"...Just be careful," He says, the words awkward on his tongue. "Love each other with all you have, but remember that tough decisions have to be made in the course of war. While I hope such a time never comes for the two of you, I'd like to ask that you brace yourself for the possibility, and not to let emotion cloud your judgment."

Dimitri blushes, casting his gaze downwards to avoid direct eye contact.

"I will keep your words in mind."

"Good."

Arguing isn't in Rodrigue's agenda, so while he isn't fully convinced by Dimitri's words, he's willing to leave it at that. At the very least, he's said his piece, giving him leeway to jump in and set Dimitri straight should the need arise.

With nothing more to discuss on his end, Rodrigue cants his head, making a move to pass Dimitri, though not without clapping a hand over his shoulder.

"...Take care of Felix."

For however estranged they are, Felix is still his son, the only family he has left. And differences aside, his happiness is still something he wishes for, even if he has no words to express it. Knowing someone out there can give it, one way or another, reassures him to an extent. Even if it has to be Dimitri, whose own happiness, he feels, is sometimes under question.

For now, all he can do is pray to the Goddess to watch over them, and resolve to do his part as well in keeping his promise to Lambert.

With nothing else left hanging but silence between them, Rodrigue makes his way to the exit and says no more.

* * *

For now, Dimitri has nothing else to say. He's realizing that he probably needs to talk with Felix at least a little bit. After all, he has no idea how open Felix wants to be about their relationship, or even if Felix wants it to be considered one at all. Carrying on a conversation with someone else about it is difficult when he's not sure how much he should say. He respects Felix's right to privacy.

Even if no one else seems to, and that lack of respect especially applies to one Sylvain Jose Gautier. It's hard to put up proper boundaries with someone when you've known them since they were a snot-nosed little crybaby. No matter how much Felix feigns toughness now, it's never going to fool Sylvain—which is why he has no trouble finding him tucked away with some of the monastery's cats.

"Hey, Felix! I'm surprised to see you here and not at the training grounds. You have the all clear from Professor Manuela, don't you?"

"Not in the mood," Felix says without looking Sylvain's way, tone unimpressed as he watches the cats feed on the scraps.

Felix's sour mood is not a surprise, but still! He didn't think he would be quite _this_ touchy. He hasn't even said anything yet—shouldn't he be in a better mood if he got laid?

"Aw, come on! What are you not in the mood for, me? You'll hurt my feelings if you say stuff like that."

Which sounds like a joke from his tone, but honestly, it's the truth. Sylvain runs a hand through his hair with a small sigh.

"I'm not here to pry all the lurid details out of you or anything like that. I'm not really interested if it's two guys, anyway."

"Right," Felix says, unconvinced as he continues to avoid looking Sylvain's way. "And you came all the way here for the cats."

Felix never makes things easy, that's for sure. Sylvain's hand drops back to his side as he moves a couple of steps closer, stopping before he's in range for a good smack.

"Fine, you got me. The truth is…"

Difficult to say. He purses his lips like he just tasted something horrible, but he forges on nonetheless.

"...I'm a little worried about you."

Now _that_ gets Felix to look Sylvain's way.

"...Why?" He asks, a most unamused look plastered on his face.

There's that cute little face. Now all he has to do is manage to articulate what has him on edge, which is no easy task. He actually doesn't look at Felix as he mulls over his words, gaze fixed on one of the cats rolling on its back in an attempt to solicit some treats.

"Something just doesn't feel right. His Highness has come a long way, but he's still volatile. You didn't see that look on his face when he hit Rodrigue—I honestly thought for a second he might kill him."

Dimitri's eyes looked every bit as crazed as they had when he snapped for the first time that day down in the Holy Tomb. Sylvain shudders slightly at the memory.

"He just... gets pretty intense, sometimes. I would hate for you to end up feeling like you have to always be the one to talk him down."

Which is a polite way of saying he doesn't want Felix to end up trapped in a relationship due to the fact that ending that relationship would send their prince over the edge, but Sylvain knows he can't just go saying that.

Felix's expression softens into a contemplative one, his gaze falling on the cats once more.

"I'll keep that in mind, but if you must know, I made a promise," Felix says, tinging a light pink, "I don't make a habit of breaking my promises, Sylvain."

This time, he makes a point to throw a steady, yet challenging glance at Sylvain, as if daring him to remember the promise Felix has made with him when they were children. Still, the worry evident on Sylvain's face doesn't dissipate in the least, even after hearing Felix acknowledge what he's said. Feeling that gaze, he lifts his eyes to meet Felix's.

"...I don't, either. Not a promise to a friend, anyway."

A "promise" to some random woman that just wants him for his status, on the other hand, is utterly meaningless.

"You remember that promise we made, don't you? Do you recall when we made it?"

"...Yeah. What about it?"

"He was with that girl so often that he practically ignored the rest of us. I'm not so sure that's... healthy."

Which is putting it lightly. Dimitri was obsessed with Dagger Girl—and yet, he never so much as shared her name with his longtime friends. He kept her all to himself, like some sort of secret treasure. Sylvain shakes his head.

"Don't be Dagger Girl. Try not to let him hide away with you too much, okay? Drag him out to see the sun and talk to other people, sometimes."

For a while, Felix falls silent, chewing on his lower lip in uncertainty. Then he sighs, and turns his attention back to the cats.

"I will, because I'm not Dagger Girl."

One of the cats paws at its compatriot, trying to make a grab for the treat it's nibbling on.

"I'm not about to go soft on his shortcomings just because _certain_ things have changed between us. And you overestimate how much I enjoy his company."

Good. _Good_, he seems like he managed to drive his point home, if Felix is giving this indirect reassurance of not putting up with Dimitri's potential attitude. Sylvain sighs again, but this time, it's mostly relieved.

"Do I? Well, most couples have a honeymoon period, so I did kind of expect to not see you too much for a little while. Oh—"

That playful grin of his resurfaces.

"A honeymoon period with His Highness would be pretty painful, wouldn't it?" Sylvain says, laughing. "And I guess he tops, too, since he brought you dinner and everything. At least he's a gentleman."

Yeah, Felix is going to hit him for that, but it's fine. It'll dispel the rest of the tension.

"Excuse me?" Felix shoots up to his feet, disturbing the cats as he whirls around. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that you might have been too sore to walk down the stairs and get it yourself—"

Sylvain preemptively lifts his hands to defend himself, palms facing outward, which might as well be a good thing, considering how Felix's fist comes flying at him and lands squarely on the middle of his makeshift shield.

"...but I'll just leave it at that. It's good to see you both smiling, I don't want you getting _too_ worked up."

"...None of us are getting worked up," Felix says, lowering his fist, "But I'll be there to keep Dimitri in check. So don't worry about us too much."

"That's all I needed to hear."

Sylvain claps Felix on the shoulder, then he lowers his hands entirely.

"Ah man, maybe I should find an actual girlfriend now so we can go on double dates…"

Which Sylvain uses as his cue to clear out before Felix decides to deck him for that. Better play it safe than sorry, to say the least of it.


End file.
